1. Field of the Invention
The principles of the present invention relate generally to an improved telecommunications system, and in particular, to transmitting data in the improved telecommunications system. Still more particularly, the principles of the present invention relate to a method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for transmitting lawfully intercepted Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In October 1994, Congress took action to protect public safety and ensure national security by enacting the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (CALEA), Pub. L. No. 103-414, 108 Stat. 4279. The law further defines the existing statutory obligation of telecommunications carriers to assist law enforcement in executing electronic surveillance pursuant to court order or other lawful authorization. Telecommunications carriers are providers of telecommunications services, such as a traditional telephone company. According to Congress, CALEA seeks to preserve law enforcement's ability to conduct lawfully authorized electronic surveillance while preserving public safety, the public's right to privacy, and the telecommunications industry's competitiveness.
Pursuant to CALEA, government agencies and law enforcement agencies (LEAs), such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), have required traditional phone companies to intercept a voice call connecting through their systems when the LEAs are lawfully authorized to intercept those calls. In compliance with those requirements, the phone companies intercept a call as requested, and deliver the call's contents to the LEAs. The call content may be delivered while the call is in progress, or may be stored and delivered after the call has concluded.
VOIP is a telecommunications method for transmitting voice communications over the Internet. Common VOIP implementations are in telephony where telephone conversations are partly carried over the Internet from a caller telephone to a called telephone. A VOIP call is a voice call connected using VOIP technology. VOIP data is the data that represents to the voice signals in a voice call that is connected through VOIP systems.
Call content is the substance of a voice call. Call content may be collected, stored, and transmitted in the form of analog or digital signals. Call content of a VOIP call is the VOIP data that represents the substance of the VOIP call.
A “caller telephone” is a telephone from which a voice call is placed A “called telephone” is a telephone on which a voice call is received. Similarly, a “caller communication device” is a communication device from which a voice call is placed; and a “called communication device” is a communication device on which a voice call in received.
The term “communication devices” refers to the collection of all devices used for voice telecommunications. For example, a communication device can be the familiar telephone, a computer with a communications enabling software application, a telephone like device that works over data networks instead of plain old telephone system (POTS) line, a wireless or cellular phone, or any other device used for voice communications. A communication device is any one of these communication devices.
The widespread adoption of VOIP technology as a substitute for voice call using traditional phone companies has prompted new requirements and amendments to existing requirements under CALEA. On May 3, 2006, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted a Second Report, Memorandum Opinion, and Order (Order), a revised implementation of CALEA. According to the FCC, the Order is adopted to ensure that Law LEAs have all of the resources that CALEA authorizes with regard to facilities-based broadband Internet access providers (also known as Internet service providers (ISP) and interconnected VOIP providers. A VOIP provider is a provider of telecommunications services using VOIP technology.
As one of its requirements, the Order requires VOIP providers to intercept calls connecting through their VOIP systems upon a request by an LEA and deliver the call contents to the LEA if the LEA is lawfully authorized to do so. In order to comply with the Order, VOIP providers are required to maintain a communications link to each LEA that may request a lawful intercept.